B.C. Election by the Numbers: A Change in Government—Time Will Tell

 

British Columbia has voted for a change in government. The Conservatives have secured a commanding position in the legislature. Whether that change delivers more affordable living, better services and stronger provincial finances remains to be seen.

The preliminary standings following the October 24 election show:

Party	Seats won or leading	Change from 2024	Vote share
Conservatives	64	+20	48.1%
NDP	27	−20	37.4%
Greens	2	No change	11.0%
CentreBC	0	No change	1.6%
OneBC	0	No change	1.5%

Preliminary snapshot at approximately 1:49 a.m. Pacific, October 25, 2026. Seat totals include candidates leading in races still being counted. Smaller parties and independents account for the remaining vote share. These are not certified final results.

With 47 seats needed for a majority, Lorne Doerkson’s Conservatives have ample room to govern. Their preliminary standing represents approximately 69% of the legislature’s seats on 48% of the popular vote. The Greens, with roughly 11% of the vote, hold just two seats. That is how votes distributed across individual ridings translate into power under our electoral system.

Participation is another part of the story. Elections BC reported preliminary turnout of 48.06% of registered voters, with 99.57% of ballot boxes reporting. The final turnout may change as counting is completed. At this stage, however, fewer than half of registered voters are recorded as having cast a ballot. Everyone will live with the decisions that follow.

The result establishes who will govern. It does not establish why every voter made their choice, nor does it amount to approval of every promise in the winning platform.

What could change?

One possibility is a closer working relationship between B.C. and Alberta on oil pipelines and access to Pacific markets.

That would be a meaningful departure from the Trans Mountain dispute under John Horgan. His government sought provincial powers that could restrict increased heavy-oil shipments through B.C. The courts rejected the proposed scheme, with the Supreme Court of Canada upholding that decision in January 2020 because it intruded on federal jurisdiction over interprovincial pipelines.

Oil and natural gas should not be confused, however. Horgan supported LNG Canada’s development, and David Eby celebrated its first export shipments to Asia in 2025. Provincial support for LNG exports already existed under the NDP.

Doerkson’s support for the proposed Pacific Link oil pipeline suggests an opportunity for greater cooperation with Alberta and Ottawa. Whether that produces an operating pipeline, on acceptable financial and environmental terms, is another question. A supportive government is one ingredient; financing, approvals and Indigenous consultation remain essential.

What will taxpayers receive?

Closer to home, taxpayers will be watching whether campaign promises translate into relief they can actually see.

Will household costs become more manageable? Will health services become easier to access? Will provincial spending come under better control? Will new resource revenue improve the province’s finances—or simply support more spending?

Those are fair questions for any government, regardless of its political colour.

The Conservatives have won the opportunity to put their proposals into practice. They should be judged on what they deliver, with clear financial reporting and results the public can measure.

B.C. has changed governments. Time will tell whether British Columbians have changed their circumstances for the better.